


Social Experiment #302

by mlle_ledoux



Series: Behind the Curtain [3]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: And I'm Gonna Use It, F/M, Fluff, Frank but Not Explicit Sexual Discussions, Innuendo, Original Characters in Very Minor Roles, Rating Allows One F-Bomb, References to Alien Anatomy, Science dorks in love, Tactile Defensiveness, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mlle_ledoux/pseuds/mlle_ledoux
Summary: It's time for the first Etherian Makers' Guild chat since Entrapta joined the Horde, and a public spat leads to a much more private exchange about the future of her and Hordak's partnership.
Relationships: Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Series: Behind the Curtain [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582915
Comments: 84
Kudos: 297





	1. Social Niceties

Something was wrong.

The atmosphere in the Sanctum was quite different from usual, and it rankled Hordak in a way he could not quite identify. Things on his end seemed to be going along smoothly for once, but the air was permeated with an energy he would almost place as.. nervous.

To anyone else, Entrapta would seem like her usual self, flitting to and fro, fixing and adjusting, chattering into her recorder 90% of the time. But something was off. Hordak knew it.

And if something was bothering Entrapta, it had to be serious.

Hordak's first instinct was to let her be, allow her to work out whatever was on her mind in peace. However, time and again Entrapta had butted her admittedly finely-shaped nose into his business, hanging on with even more tenacity than astroglue.

Two could play at that game.

Hordak knew what tools Entrapta would need for what she was working on, and within the next thirty seconds, she would be needing a multi-headed screwdriver. Said screwdriver happened to be on his workbench. He counted slowly, under his breath, watching. Waiting.

A split second before Entrapta's hair shot out to grab the necessary tool, Hordak covered it with his hand.

The reaction was almost comical. Purple hair wound around Hordak's fingers, pulling tight then tugging. The endearing crinkle between Entrapta's eyebrows appeared and she pursed her lips before yanking again. Then again.

"If you wish my assistance, all you have to do is ask," Hordak said, making sure to keep his tone as dry as possible.

That made Entrapta's head shoot up, and she turned to him, her eyes widening as she realized exactly who, not what, she had snagged. Color flooded her cheeks as she eased her hair's grip on his fingers, but did not quite let go. "Sorry 'bout that," she said, the aforementioned hair sliding back and forth over his knuckles as if trying to soothe any irritation it might have caused. "I was trying to grab the multi-headed screwdriver."

"I shall give it to you on one condition," Hordak said.

The look in Entrapta's eyes went from apologetic to wary. "Okay."

Hordak blinked, actually worried now. That was a very un-Entrapta-like answer. He picked up the multi-headed screwdriver with his right hand as Entrapta's grip on his left slipped away. "You tell me what has you so upset."

"I'm not upset," Entrapta snapped back, way too fast.

"Yes, you are," Hordak said, keeping his voice as calm and level as he could. "You are too single-mindedly focused. Usually you multitask, keeping multiple lengths of your hair busy as well as your hands. The maximum number of appendages I have seen you use today is three, and that was just now. Not to mention, you normally speak quickly into your recorder, but you have a sense of panic in your voice rather than excitement. Finally, your hair is frizzing in a certain way that only happens when you are perturbed rather than excited or startled. And before you blame it on humidity, I know your hair does not react to that particular variable."

Entrapta snorted, shaking her head. "This is payback, isn't it?" she asked.

"As a woman whose intelligence I admire has said on more than one occasion, this is what lab partners do: take care of each other," Hordak replied. "Precisely how many times have you badgered me into eating or sleeping to be at peak performance?"

Hordak could see the corners of Entrapta's mouth twitching, which he now knew meant she was fighting back a smile.

"Since I originally broke into the Sanctum? Fifty-three," Entrapta said, then took a deep breath which came out as a sigh of defeat. She hopped up on her worktable, letting her feet swing as her hair formed into hands before the thumbs of each hand started to whirl around each other. "Tonight is the first meeting of the Etherian Makers' Guild since I came to the Fright Zone."

"The Etherian Makers' Guild?" Hordak echoed.

Entrapta nodded. "It's a bunch of people from all over the planet who are interested in tech, both researching and building," she told him. "We meet in a chat room, over the EtherLink, every month. At first I thought it would be fun, then before coming here, it was a way for me to at least try and practice interaction with organic beings."

"I assume it stopped being fun once you realized how far more advanced you are?" Hordak asked.

This time, Entrapta did smile, though there was an edge of sadness to it. "Yes and no. Yes, my theories were the most advanced and the majority thought I was just," she gulped, "crazy. The 'no' part is that everyone else gets along easily, but I'm just too _weird_." Entrapta's hair hands stopped whirling their thumbs to make air quotes around the last word. "They respect me, as a Maker and for my advanced technologies, but whenever I type a message, any casual conversation grinds to a halt."

Hordak grunted and put down the multi-headed screwdriver, the solid _thunk_ of it against the metal table prefacing his incoming speech. "They simply realize they are in the presence of greatness," he proclaimed, making grandiose gestures with his hands in a way he knew she found amusing.

Hordak's efforts were rewarded as Entrapta snorted, then a short burst of laughter escaped. 

Once Entrapta had recovered, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve, she said, "I'll have to try and think of it that way." She took another deep breath and let it out shakily. "Though I'll probably be pretty popular tonight, since by now I'm sure Bow has told everyone I'm with the Horde now."

"Bow," Hordak said, tasting the word and not caring for it. "Princess Glimmer's pet archer, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Nah, Bow's his own person," Entrapta said. "He's honestly the only one who seemed to like me when I was with the Rebellion. He looked really disappointed when I said I didn't want to be rescued anymore, though I don't think he was too happy when I told him I hacked the Black Garnet, either."

"When did this conversation occur?" Hordak asked, his tone a little sharper than he intended.

Entrapta didn't seem to notice. "Back when Catra was captured. From what little I could hear, I think Catra used the robot rampaging in my lab to get Bow and Glimmer to free her."

Hordak bit back a snarl and vowed to watch the security tapes. He had a very good idea of what had actually happened. Much as he admired his Force Captain's resourcefulness, threatening Entrapta's life was completely unacceptable. If he had to make a choice, he would gladly skin the Magicat hybrid before anyone touched even a hair on Entrapta's head.

"Anyway," Entrapta said, snapping Hordak out of his reverie, "I just don't know how to make them understand."

Hordak recognized the way Entrapta's head was hanging, and her gloved hands gripped the edge of the workbench, her booted feet no longer swinging but hanging as limply as her hair. She was on the verge of tears, and he refused to let her shed a single salty droplet over the imbeciles who dared question her choices.

Hordak's feet moved without his permission, crossing the slight distance between them in a couple of long-legged strides. His hand stretched out before he could think about it, but rationality returned a split second before he passed the point of no return, his hand hovering awkwardly above the smooth, dusky, exposed shoulder he had been about to touch.

Entrapta had been startled out of her funk by Hordak's rapid movements. At any other time, she probably would have thought it funny, the way he froze, staring at his hand with a kind of fascinated horror. She knew she likely only had a moment or two to react before he pulled away, so she summoned up her courage and reached across her body with her right hand to grasp Hordak's and lower it onto what could only be his original target.

Entrapta could feel the heat rushing through her body, blooming in her cheeks as she kept her gloved hand where it was, clinging onto Hordak's fingers as his palm rested against the exposed skin of her shoulder, one of the least sensitive places on her body.

To Hordak, it was as if the planet had stopped spinning on its axis. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight of his dark blue hand on Entrapta's naturally deeply tanned skin. He almost swore he could feel the blood rushing beneath the surface, she was so warm to his touch. He had noticed his overall body temperature tended to be lower than the average Etherian's, but not so much as to be uncomfortable. He wanted to shift his palm, ingrain the satiny texture of her skin on his memory, but he did not dare. He chanced a glance at her face. She was definitely blushing, but she didn't seem uncomfortable. That was leagues better than her previous state.

"Be yourself, and use logic," Hordak said, then noted with surprise how the tenor of his voice had changed. It had gone softer, deeper, almost into a rumble. "Some will refuse to see reason no matter what. However, that will be the best strategy for winning over those who might be swayed. If you become overly-emotional, your enemies will draw strength from that."

Entrapta blinked, then turned her head to look up at Hordak. "That makes a lot of sense," she said, giving his fingers a squeeze. "Thank you. I should have known I could rely on a military strategist to come up with a battle plan."

They smiled at each other in perfect synch, partners in crime as well as in the lab.

~*~*~*~

Entrapta took a deep breath, flexing and curling her fingers both to work out any kinks and savor the sensation of Hordak's latest gifts to her. 

At the end of the "workday", Hordak had caught her before she left and thrust a large box at her while saying, "Every combatant needs acceptable armor. Hopefully these will qualify for your needs."

Inside the box had been twenty-four gloves, all knitted with the same care and attention as her Solstice gifts, but these looked identical to the pairs she had worn for as long as she could remember.

The words, "I can't accept this," had been on the tip of her tongue, but she had quickly swallowed them, seeing how nervous Hordak was. She could tell he would misinterpret her reply, taking it as a rejection of his work, rather than being completely overwhelmed by the time he had likely taken and the sheer scale of his gift. So instead, she said, "Thank you. This must have taken you forever."

She knew she had said the right thing when the now-familiar sight of his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning various shades of pink followed her statement. Not only that, his nervousness immediately disappeared, and he drew himself up with pride.

"Not as much as you might think," Hordak replied. "Besides, it gave me something different to work on, and now you can use comfortable gloves all the time, rather than hoarding that one pair for special occasions."

Entrapta caught herself smiling, knowing full well she would still hoard that original all-black pair for their sentimental value if nothing else. She'd never had any real attachment to clothing before. But her lab partner had made them, and although it was a silly thought, she felt as though he were right there with her, ready to face the spider's den that would be the Etherian Makers' Guild meeting. In her mind's eye, he stood behind her, his hands on both her shoulders this time, bracing her.

Entrapta knew she was blushing again, the ghost of memory warming her left shoulder. Now that she was alone in her lab, staring at her computer monitors, she allowed herself to feel the tingle of electricity that had flowed through her with a gentle current. 

Was this physical attraction? In the abstract, Entrapta was definitely fascinated by Hordak, and it went beyond admiring his keen intellect and technical skills to what exactly lay beneath all the armor he wore every day. His hands were massive in comparison to hers, and she had discovered his claws were retractable, but she liked the thought of something so wickedly sharp and dangerous lurking just below the surface. She often felt the urge to ruffle his hair, knowing how soft it had to be beneath the shellac he had been starting to apply less forcefully of late. His strong, high cheekbones, the pleasing shape of his eyes, even the tiny flashes of fang when he talked or smiled caused involuntary reactions that for most of her life, Entrapta had thought maybe just weren't a part of her physical makeup.

Of course, on a more base level, Entrapta could almost admit a certain admiration for what she could clearly see of the rest of his body. Entrapta suspected Hordak wore the cut of clothing he did on purpose, knowing that his thighs were certainly a sight to behold. She wanted to sit on them, feel their power beneath her own. Not to mention his height and the exaggerated masculine "v" of his torso that she was sure went beyond armor made her feel positively tiny in comparison.

She just wished he didn't wear that darn cape all the time! 

Entrapta realized her train of thought and dropped her head into her hands with a groan. Was it awful of her to want a chance to ogle his back, and more importantly, his back _side_? With thighs like that, how could he not have a shapely butt to match? Meaty enough to grab...

"Okay, mind out of the sewer, Entrapta," Entrapta said to herself, thanking every power she knew that the Makers' Guild chatroom didn't require video as well. She knew she had to be showing signs of arousal, and trying to explain that away would be the epitome of awkwardness.

Entrapta watched the clock on her terminal count down the remaining minutes, and as soon as 2000 hit, she made her way to the virtual chatroom and logged in.

Normally she felt at least a little tug of warmth when seeing all the familiar names, but tonight, it filled her with trepidation. Nearly everyone was already there, and one in particular caught her eye now that she had met the person behind the name: ArrowBoy aka Bow.

A moment later, the chat was flooded with a cascade of questions. 

**GearHead5:** Entrapta?! OMG you're here!  
**ImaTool:** How'd you get EtherLink in your cell?  
**WrenchedHeart:** I heard you were kidnapped by the Horde!  
**Gizmo69:** Are Horde ration bars as awful as I've heard?  
**BoltCutter:** Hey, gurl! Mind sabotaging the Fright Zone? It'd help us out! ;)

Entrapta forced herself to take a deep breath, knowing that the longer she took to respond, the more her fellow Makers would think the worst.

 **TrapsRUs:** I'm not in a cell, I have my own lab. I wasn't kidnapped, I got accidentally left behind. The ration bars are bland, if a little green-tasting, though the head chef happily takes requests.  
**TrapsRUs:** Sorry, Bolt! Not going to bite the hand that feeds me tech and lets me explode things on a regular basis. :(

Entrapta could feel the silence as chat immediately ground to a halt, like usual. At least this time, she had an idea as to exactly why.

 **BoltCutter:** They just let you explode things?! Where do I sign up?  
**Gizmo69:** Bolt!  
**BoltCutter:** Whaaaat, sweetie pie? It sounds like fun!

Another pause.

 **GearHead5:** They gave you a lab, Entrapta?

That was another thing that always stood out to Entrapta. Everyone else referred to each other by screen name, but she was always her real name.

 **TrapsRUs:** Yup.

Entrapta hesitated, wondering exactly how much she should reveal. Then she remembered the way Hordak always looked when talking about the projects they were working on together, presenting her proudly as someone he was working with. She had a feeling this might get her kicked out of the Guild, but she refused to lie. She was terrible at it, anyway.

 **TrapsRUs:** Two, technically. My own lab that I'm in right now, and Hordak's, where I've been spending most of the day lately.

The lack of movement on the screen was deafening. Several minutes later, a post flashed into existence.

 **ImaTool:** You're working _with_ Lord Hordak? Directly?!

Entrapta bit her lip before typing a reply, focusing on the gentle massage her gloves were giving her.

 **TrapsRUs:** Yes.

Another pause.

 **BoltCutter:** Damn that Horde dick must be good! Or maybe it's the other way around.  
**Gizmo69:** BOLT!  
**BoltCutter:** I mean, who wouldn't want to Dryl a Princess?  
**GearHead5:** Bolt, don't make me ban you.  
**BoltCutter:** Aw, you're never any fun, Head. :(  
**GearHead5:** I told you not to call me that!

The banter continued to scroll down the screen, and for once, Entrapta was grateful for BoltCutter's constant innuendos. Her cheeks were so hot, it was a wonder they weren't giving off infrared waves. She would never in a million years admit to the images BoltCutter's jibes conjured up.

Although, Entrapta was almost 100% certain that Hordak did not have anatomy similar to a typical humanoid male Etherian. There had been enough times other obvious signs of arousal had been present: increased heart rate, a heightened intensity when it came to the color of his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he breathed, and of course his sometimes furious yet adorable blush. But there had never been a telltale bulge or tent beneath his clothing. Although, she had surmised he wasn't entirely featureless there. He always sat with his thighs apart, sometimes comically so.

Entrapta's train of thought was derailed by the flash of a private chat request. At first she thought it might be Bow, but instead it was WrenchedHeart aka Princess Cassiopeia, one of the Star Twins of the kingdom of Estrella. Curious, Entrapta opened the chat.

A couple of minutes passed with no sign of activity.

Entrapta tentatively typed in, " _Hi Cassiopeia. You wanted to talk to me?_ "

That seemed to set things in motion.

**_WrenchedHeart:_ ** _Don't "Cassiopeia" me, you traitor!_

Entrapta blinked at the screen. Finally, this was what she had expected earlier in the public chat. She took a deep breath, thinking about Hordak's advice, before putting her fingers to the keyboard of her console once more.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _Dryl has no alliance with Estrella, and Estrella has never joined The Rebellion, so how could I be a traitor to you?_

The response was immediate.

**_WrenchedHeart:_ ** _You are a traitor to all Etheria!_

"Logic," Entrapta muttered to herself. "Logic."

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _The Rebellion has every right to call me a traitor, since I technically am. Even though they are the ones who didn't come back for me. But calling me a traitor to the entire planet is hyperbole._

Entrapta nodded to herself as she hit send.

**_WrenchedHeart:_ ** _No it isn't! Everybody hates the Horde!_

Entrapta's fingers trembled, dying to start rattling off exactly how many former kingdoms now found themselves a part of the Fright Zone, but she had promised Hordak she wouldn't tell anyone. What could she say that was truthful and logical?

Then it came to her.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _Not everybody. I don't._

A minute went by with no response, or so Entrapta thought. It wasn't until a single message in all caps appeared in the main chat, followed by a stunned silence, that she had her answer.

 **WrenchedHeart:** OF COURSE YOU DON'T! YOU'RE FUCKING THEIR LEADER!!1!!

Entrapta fisted her hands, then flexed her fingers, switching between the two positions as if she wanted to choke the life out of the melodramatic princess Entrapta had thought she was on at least decent terms with. Not knowing what else to do, Entrapta took her trusty recorder out of a pocket with a length of hair, pressing the record button before speaking.

"Social dilemma 394: I stand publicly, well, as publicly as I can be in a private chat room, accused of only liking the Horde due to what I assume she means is sexual favors being exchanged between myself and Hordak. The problem is, I have no idea how to respond! These feelings I'm having, I'm trying to understand them. Cassiopeia is trying to make it sound like a bad thing if Hordak and I had sex, but I see nothing wrong with it. I mean, I understand on a logical level that she is trying to somehow slander me, and it could work given Etheria's still slightly puritanical societal lean when it comes to physical intimacy, but how do I counter something like that?"

Entrapta switched off the recorder, the answer coming to her as she finished speaking. She pressed the button again. "I suppose all I can do is tell the truth," she said, before turning the recorder off but instead of putting it back in her pocket, she placed it on the console beside the keyboard screen.

No one had responded since WrenchedHeart's declaration.

 **TrapsRUs:** Hordak and I are not having sex. Our partnership is not at that stage yet.

Entrapta could feel herself blushing, but it was the honest truth.

 **TrapsRUs:** I like the Horde because they encourage my research, revel in my projects. They want me for my technological know-how like everybody else, but they don't stifle me. I don't feel awkward or out of place here; something that has never happened to me before.

Entrapta pursed her lips and delivered the coup de grace, since she was still "talking" to a silent chatroom.

 **TrapsRUs:** By the way? If you want to say I am a bad person, say that. There is nothing bad or wrong about sex between two consenting adults with strong personal ties who are professional equals. If the day ever comes that Hordak or I proposition each other, I will welcome and enjoy it with open arms!

"Okay, maybe that was a little too much information," Entrapta murmured. Her heart throbbed, and her stomach hurt. She could also feel a flame of anger trying to fuel her. She pulled up a special chart her robo-parents had designed with a series of humanoid faces on it, each one with a different expression and description. There was still no reply in either public or private chat, so she had a moment to try and sort things out.

What Entrapta discovered astonished her. She was angry because not only was it an implication that sex was bad, but that sex specifically with Hordak was bad. Her primary feeling was.. protectiveness. Being insulted on his behalf. She knew not many Etherians would find Hordak attractive, but to try and use that as something worthy of disgust?

No wonder Hordak kept to himself so much.

Rather like she had done for the past nearly thirty years.

Entrapta tried not to believe in illogical things like fate, but at times like this, she was tempted.

The stalemate was finally broken by a single line of chat.

 **BoltCutter:** Work that sex positivity, Traps! Nothing wrong with a girl who appreciates a big ol' brain.

Entrapta stared at the screen in slight shock. BoltCutter had actually addressed her as he did the rest of the group!

 **TrapsRUs:** Thanks, Bolt. I mean it.

A pause, then:

 **BoltCutter:** Hey, if Lord Hordak turns your crank, go get him! Just make sure to give us the juicy details after!  
**GearHead5:** Please, don't.  
**BoltCutter:** Oh c'mon, Head! The guy's gotta be hung like a **[BoltCutter has left the chat]**  
**Gizmo69:** Sorry, everyone. Bolt's computer has been unplugged for the rest of the night so we don't get banned.  
**ImaTool:** Way to keep your man in line, Gizmo. ;)  
**Gizmo69:** Yeah, my taste in men sucks, I know. That's how I've been married to this weirdo for the past decade.  
**[WrenchedHeart has left the chat]**

Entrapta shook her hands out, hating how the roller coaster of emotions she had gone through had made her hands all sweaty. She carefully pulled the newest gloves off with her hair, replacing them with her warm, dry original gifts from Hordak. She curled her fingers and sighed in relief.

Relief that was short-lived as another private chat request popped up in the corner of her screen.

From ArrowBoy.

"Right from the frying pan into the fire," Entrapta muttered to herself before she clicked on the private chat window.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _Sorry you had to see that, Bow._

A brief pause.

**_ArrowBoy:_ ** _I guess.. I'm just trying to understand.  
**TrapsRUs:** Understand what?  
**ArrowBoy:** You._

Entrapta blinked at the screen.

**_ArrowBoy:_ ** _Was going to work with the Horde a way of getting back at us?  
**TrapsRUs:** Getting back at you? Why would I want to do that?  
**ArrowBoy:** For leaving you behind._

Entrapta thought about it for a moment.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _You may not believe it, but no. I mean, if I think about it, all you guys would have seen was me and Emily being engulfed by flames. It wasn't real fire, by the way, just a chemical illusion designed to keep people from going in or out that way without the proper clearance.  
**ArrowBoy:** Who's Emily?  
**TrapsRUs:** The bot I modified! The one that was opening the gates after Adora left to get Glimmer. I hid in the vents afterward because I thought staying put would help you find me, considering I made Perfuma mad when I didn't. Catra found me eventually, and she, well, she tried to interrogate me, I think. I've never been interrogated before.  
**ArrowBoy:** Did she hurt you?  
**TrapsRUs:** Oh no. I'd picked the locks on the manacles easily, but I thought I would be nice and try to play along. Catra was the one who pointed out it had nearly been two days and no one had come back for me.  
**ArrowBoy:** If we'd had any idea you were still alive, we would have come back for you.  
**TrapsRUs:** I realize that now. My being with the Horde has absolutely nothing to do with the Rebellion. Besides, being left behind gave me an opportunity to find somewhere I fit in better.  
**ArrowBoy:** So it isn't personal?_

Entrapta considered Bow's point.

_**TrapsRUs:** It's personal to me, but there's nothing the Rebellion could have done to change things in the long run. Catra and Scorpia were at least a little interested in my theories. Then I met Hordak, and he not only is interested and understands, but encourages me all the time! I mean, the moment he heard my runestone theory, he up and gave me full access to the Black Garnet, no questions asked! I can't see Queen Angella, Mermista, or even Perfuma doing the same.  
**ArrowBoy:** Did you even care what the effect on the planet might be?  
**TrapsRUs:** Not really. I know it's a bad habit, but science comes first! And now we know that even if one runestone tries to drain the others, equilibrium will re-establish itself. So in that case, the experiment was a massive success! I learned my theory about the elemental runestones being connected is correct!  
**ArrowBoy:** So the fact you nearly destroyed the Whispering Woods means nothing to you?  
**TrapsRUs:** Honestly, no. I've never been there.  
**ArrowBoy:** So if you don't have a personal connection to something, it means nothing to you?  
**TrapsRUs:** Isn't that everybody, though? I mean, Cassiopeia's outburst was because she's under the false presumption that the Horde is out to destroy Etheria, when that's not the case.  
**ArrowBoy:** That's what it looks like from here._

Entrapta sighed in frustration.

_**TrapsRUs:** If Hordak wanted to destroy the entire planet, he could have done it long ago. Tell me, Bow. How many casualties can you name that The Rebellion has suffered in, say, the past ten years?  
**ArrowBoy:** King Micah_

Entrapta waited a few moments.

_**TrapsRUs:** And..?  
**ArrowBoy:** And?  
**TrapsRUs:** A single noteworthy casualty. In a decade of constant warfare. Buildings can be rebuilt, and since apparently you haven't noticed, that is where the Horde focuses its firepower. They want to _intimidate_ , not kill!  
**ArrowBoy:** Did Hordak tell you that?  
**TrapsRUs:** Yes, but I've also seen it with my own two eyes. Those bots you guys keep destroying? They have video feeds back to the Fright Zone. Scorpia even brought cupcakes for that battle where you were trying to capture an intact specimen! Watching you guys fight my bots helps me make them even better in the next build.  
**ArrowBoy:** So you've been there, watching us struggle?  
**TrapsRUs:** Of course! All experimentation is a struggle! The Rebellion are some of the best beta testers I could ever dream of! All Horde soldiers only use tech, but seeing magical counters to technological constructs? Brilliant!_

There was a pause.

_**ArrowBoy:** You've given me a lot to think about.  
**TrapsRUs:** I'm glad. Your arrows are pure genius, and I always look forward to seeing what you come up with next!  
**ArrowBoy:** Wait, you follow my work?  
**TrapsRUs:** Of course I do! I tend to prefer big, flashy weaponry, but the sheer variety and versatility of arrows you have created is amazing!  
**ArrowBoy:** I think I'm starting to understand a little. It truly is all about science for you.  
**TrapsRUs:** Yup._

Entrapta felt a touch of warmth. Bow had always been the nicest to her. She doubted they would ever truly see eye-to-eye, he was far too law-abiding, but maybe eventually they could at least develop a rapport, scientist to scientist.

_**ArrowBoy:** I'm sorry I didn't step in when Cassie attacked you like that.  
**TrapsRUs:** It's okay. It actually gave me a chance to really defend myself.  
**ArrowBoy:** And Hordak._

Entrapta stared at the screen. She knew emotions were hard to read through just the written word even for regular people, but she was almost positive there was some resentment in Bow's statement.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _Of course. He's my friend. My best friend._

It felt really satisfying as Entrapta pressed the "Enter" key. Every word was true. She'd never had a best friend before, but Hordak definitely counted as one. He understood her on a level no one else ever had. And from what she had observed before, that's what best friends did!

**_ArrowBoy:_ ** _Are you sure he's not just taking advantage of you?_

Entrapta frowned before replying.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _I'm used to that, and no, he's not. We've talked a lot. We've shared secrets about each other. We even have started making what I believe Glimmer once called in-jokes._

Entrapta wanted to say more, but she was keenly aware that so much of what she knew about Hordak was private. He had faith that she wouldn't betray his trust, so she would not. Even under actual interrogation.

_**ArrowBoy:** You and Hordak have in-jokes?  
**TrapsRUs:** Strangely enough. I guess when you spend several hours a day in each others' company, it just happens. You get to know each other so well, teasing arises from observation. It's fascinating!  
**ArrowBoy:** He doesn't seem like the kind of person to make jokes.  
**TrapsRUs:** He has a very dry sense of humor, which works for me._

There was another pause.

**_ArrowBoy:_ ** _Did you really mean what you said in main chat? About you and Hordak..?_

Entrapta blushed, knowing exactly what Bow was trying not to say.

**_TrapsRUs:_ ** _Yes, I did. We are extremely compatible as lab partners, and there are many facets of his being I find attractive. Even though I don't know if we're even physiologically compatible, we're both scientists, and experimentation is essential to our enjoyment of things, anyway._

Silence ensued, and Entrapta hoped that if Bow was choking, he didn't end up in the infirmary. After roughly five minutes, there was a response.

_**ArrowBoy:** I guess I've never thought of it that way._

Yet another pause.

_**ArrowBoy:** Anyway, it's getting late, so I should go. Thanks for chatting with me, Entrapta._

Entrapta smiled.

_**TrapsRUs:** Anytime, Bow. Seriously. Thanks for chatting with me, too! :)  
**[ArrowBoy has left the chat.]**_

Entrapta closed the private chat box and skimmed the main chat, which held nothing interesting. The others had gone on to discuss their latest projects, all of which were elementary. No new ideas or innovations, but that was typical. She couldn't even give any input, since her suggestions would be laughed off or considered too advanced to work on Etheria. For example, she would love to tell GearHead5 about hydroponics rather than traditional irrigation systems, but she honestly doubted they would be able to wrap their minds around such a concept.

Then she noticed something off. Entrapta frowned as she ran a small diagnostic program on the chatroom and.. there! Her brows lowered. Someone had hacked into the chat and was just sitting there, listening in. Entrapta was surprised that GearHead5 hadn't noticed it in his role as moderator. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, tracing the hacker by their E.P. to find their DLC address.

Entrapta sat back in her chair, stunned. Once again, she had to analyze her feelings. Part of her was indignant at being spied upon, yet she honestly wasn't upset by it. She was also awed by his sheer audacity, sitting there with a video link open, probably waiting to see how long it would take her to notice his presence.

She quickly gave herself a once-over, making sure she was at least halfway presentable for a video chat. Once she was satisfied she didn't look too bad, she took the bait, and a face even more familiar to her than her own by now popped up on the central monitor. 

"Hordak!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know in the show, Bow talks about the Etherian Makers' Community, but the official Dreamworks site has The Makers' Guild. So, my headcanon is that the "community" part is the people, and the "guild" is the organization. So one can still be part of the community, but not officially registered with the guild. The chat room is guild members only. Hope that makes sense!


	2. Aftermath

"I know this is inappropriate, Imp. However, I cannot leave Entrapta to a den of venomous spiders without backup."

Imp had been chittering and hissing at Hordak the entire time he had been preparing for his newest mission, peppering him with soundbytes from various Horde soldiers about invading privacy and being overbearing.

Hordak had ignored his minion's commentary up until now. He knew he was being absolutely ridiculous, but that wasn't about to stop him. Hacking into the chatroom had been child's play, the code rudimentary at best. The most difficult part had been deciding to allow a video feed. When, not if, Entrapta caught him, she deserved an explanation face-to-face, and it was too late at night for an actual visit to her private lab or chambers to be appropriate.

He probably would not have done it, if not for the simple new piece of sleepwear he had, well, designed was being overly generous. He had taken a few yards of _poa_ cloth, hemmed it, cut a hole for his head, and attached a knitted tube to the neckline in order to protect his throat and brain stem port. Over that, unable to be seen on a computer monitor, he wore what used to be his only article of sleepwear, a wide knitted band of material Princess Hisui called a "belly warmer". That allowed him to have a cinched-in waist and kept the rudimentary length of cloth covering the rest of him in place even in slumber.

Everything he wouldn't want Entrapta to see was thoroughly covered from the screen's perspective, despite the lack of armor. There was no one else to see him, since he had set things up on the personal computer he kept in his bedroom, the padded chair he sat on comfortable enough that it wouldn't cause extra pain, even though it didn't hold a candle to his recliner.

When the Etherian Makers' Guild chatroom loaded, the first thing Hordak saw was the other guild members grilling Entrapta on whether she had a lab in the Fright Zone or not. That was to be expected. What he did not expect was the ribald remark from the person named BoltCutter. Heat rushed into Hordak's cheeks and ears, and all he could do was stare as images he had been fighting for longer than he wanted to admit came to mind.

He knew "BoltCutter" had to be joking, but his jibes hit a little too close to home. His theory was supported by the way the rest of the guild members reacted. Hordak had a few similar jokesters in his army, but they were harmless and raised his fighters' spirits.

Hordak frowned as he saw someone private message Entrapta. With a name like "TrapsRUs", there was no doubt in his mind it was his lab partner, even before she had been addressed directly. He wriggled his fingers, dying to hack into the private chat, but no. This was enough of an invasion of privacy. Entrapta had every right to her own personal conversations.

Of course, then the private chat turned very public indeed.

Hordak's hands were shaking, and he had to thrust them beneath his thighs so he didn't deliver a scathing diatribe that would make the little snot known as WrenchedHeart cower in fear. He knew exactly what they were trying to do: shame Entrapta for her choices. He was also aware of the insult to himself, personally, but that didn't matter. He was used to being an object of revulsion.

Then he was absolutely stunned, grateful that his condition had not deteriorated to the point his jaw could come completely unhinged. Otherwise, it would literally be on the floor. The words, "Our partnership is not at that stage yet." seared themselves into his brain. Especially that final word.

Yet.

Was that why Entrapta was working so hard on touching him, and accepting being touched by him? Could she truly even be considering..?

 **TrapsRUs:** By the way? If you want to say I am a bad person, say that. There is nothing bad or wrong about sex between two consenting adults with strong personal ties who are professional equals. If the day ever comes that Hordak or I proposition each other, I will welcome and enjoy it with open arms!

Hordak felt slightly woozy, and he hoped to every power that existed he wasn't about to faint. Imp hopped up on the console, and Hordak hit the "lock" button out of pure reflex a split second before the little creature crawled over the digital keyboard, pushing his face so close to Hordak's, their noses almost touched.

The feeling passed, but his brain still felt a little foggy. "I will be all right, Imp," Hordak said.

Imp gave Hordak a look that clearly said he wasn't buying it, then leapt down to curl up in Hordak's lap.

Hordak stroked Imp's back, pausing to lightly scritch his minion's head as fluffy baby hair tickled Hordak's fingers.

Entrapta would welcome an eventual sexual advance.. from _him_! Even going so far as to extrapolate that she would enjoy such a venture.

Hordak had never been more aware of his own inadequacy. If she only knew the dilapidated state of his body, saw the wretched degeneration he had been enduring for decades, she would likely withdraw that opinion. Not to mention, he was vaguely aware of Etherian sexual mechanics, but he was not equipped for the most common practices he had heard of between Etherians of different sexes.

The only things that gave him any hope was knowing that some of the more animalistic races on Etheria did somehow manage to reproduce without humanoid sexual organs and that relationships between two individuals with similar anatomy were surprisingly common. Researching how such a phenomenon worked had seemed rather crass to Hordak, so he had for once put the thought of doing so aside.

Such thoughts, however, were also accompanied by a wriggle of discomfort in the back of his mind, programmed from the time of his initial growth. Clones were not meant to be sexual creatures. They had no reproductive capabilities, and sex for pleasure or physical release was anathema. The drive and even the possibility of becoming aroused in a sexual manner were meant to be completely discarded in the cloning process.

Hordak was now even more convinced this was another flaw in his cloning that had surfaced just recently. Lying in wait for the perfect catalyst to cross his path.

A catalyst named Entrapta.

At the thought of her name, Hordak brought his head up slowly, and ended up having to scroll back through the chat to make sure nothing of importance had been said in his mental absence. His theory about BoltCutter was confirmed, then he noticed the active icons indicating a private chat between Entrapta and someone called "ArrowBoy".

Hordak narrowed his eyes. The nameplay had to be more than coincidence, since it seemed to be a theme in this chat. Apparently Princess Glimmer's bodyguard had taken Entrapta aside to speak with her. Hordak's fingers itched. He was dying to hack into that personal chat. To see what exactly they were talking about. He trusted Entrapta. The one he didn't trust was Bow.

They were talking for an exorbitant amount of time. Hordak felt a growl rising up in the back of his throat. He even had to leave off stroking Imp, who had obviously decided it was past his bedtime by the little whistling snores coming from Hordak's lap. Hordak's chest grew tight, adrenaline flooding through him. If they were on the physical plane, he would have inserted himself between the two, blocking Entrapta from Bow's view, making it plain to the boy that Entrapta was under his protection.

Then all at once, reality knocked him cold. This was one of the emotions Clones were warned about. That others would experience, and could be used against them. Jealousy. Which often stemmed from a desire to protect one's sexual partner from outsiders.

Hordak closed his eyes and lightly thumped his head against the back of his chair. He had no reason to think like that. Entrapta was her own person, capable of making her own decisions. In fact, it would likely be best if she struck up a relationship with a fellow Etherian.

But he didn't want her to.

Hordak was only brought back to his senses by the tripping of the alarm he had set up to warn him if someone discovered his presence, a series of beeps just shrill enough to be annoying. He unlocked the keyboard and deactivated the alarm with a passcode. The hacker's E.P. and DLC address flashed up, and Hordak found himself grinning. Entrapta had found him.

He took a few deep breaths to pull himself together, doing so moments before his screen was filled with a video feed of Entrapta's face, neck, and shoulders.

"Hordak!" she exclaimed.

Hordak sat back, wanting to cross his arms over his chest, but knowing that would expose the exact condition of his forearms, so he did his best to draw decorum around him like a cloak. "Guilty as charged. I thought it likely you would eventually notice my presence."

Entrapta blushed, her skin taking on the rich hue Hordak enjoyed bringing out in her. "How long have you been here?"

Hordak allowed a small smile to play along his lips. "Since your fellow guild members were grilling you about the Fright Zone."

The reaction to his words was immediate. Entrapta's welding mask slammed down over her face courtesy of a tendril of hair.

Hordak dearly wished he were there, to be able to reassure her in person. He understood why she so often felt the need to hide her emotions. It was difficult enough for her to deal with them in day-to-day situations, but add in the unexpected, and she floundered. He was brought out of his reverie by Entrapta's voice, only slightly muffled by the metal of her mask.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did."

Fury rose up in Hordak, nearly choking him. If he ever found out who WrenchedHeart was, they would rue the day they were born for making Entrapta doubt herself, even for a single second.

"Was it a falsehood?" Hordak asked, tamping down his anger so Entrapta would hopefully not think it directed at her.

Entrapta's head snapped up. "What?"

"Was what you said a lie?" Hordak repeated.

Entrapta started to fidget, her hair forming hands and twirling her hair-thumbs. There was a long silence before she said, almost too quietly for him to hear, "No."

"Then there is no need to apologize," he told her.

"You mean.. you..?" Entrapta lifted her mask, but with her actual gloved hand this time. Her eyes were massive, shining with hope, even if her features expressed how stunned she was by his revelation. Her hair thumbs had stopped, and the hair hands themselves unraveled.

Hordak took a deep breath, savoring the way his lungs expanded thoroughly, and he used the force of his exhalation to push the niggle of discomfort in his psyche down into what he hoped was a bottomless pit. He was a Clone, but a defective one. Horde Prime himself had declared Hordak an abomination. Why not embrace that epithet, if only in this one area? Even with the incredible strides he and Entrapta had made towards building a portal, there was still no guarantee Hordak would live long enough to see its completion.

There was a saying Etherians had: you only live once. And Hordak had wasted so much of his life already, alone. Respected, feared, but not.. loved.

Now he had a chance to change that.

"I agree with you that our.. partnership is nowhere near that stage _yet_ ," Hordak said, purposefully echoing Entrapta's earlier sentiment. "However, I believe there is the potential for such to occur at some time in the future."

Now Entrapta's blush had spread so far, it disappeared into the rounded valley between her generous breasts that Hordak tended to stare at far more frequently than was proper when he hoped she wasn't looking.

"You would be open to a sexual relationship some day? With me?" Entrapta asked.

"I..." Hordak tried to swallow, his throat suddenly dry. A few lines of embedded code deep in his mind tried to rise up, stop the madness, but Hordak ruthlessly cut them down. "I would be honored. I do not know if we are physiologically compatible, but I believe that experimentation is one of the joys in life. Would you not agree?"

Entrapta felt her throat close, hearing her own words coming from Hordak. She did a quick double-check to make sure her private chats had not been breached. They hadn't. He had thought up almost the same exact phrasing all on his own. Entrapta nodded, doing her best to give him an answer, even as the power of speech had abandoned her.

Hordak watched with vague alarm as Entrapta nodded, then fiercely rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. "Entrapta? Are you all right?" He could see her throat working. Please, don't let her reject him now.

"I'm wonderful," Entrapta replied, her voice coming out as more of a croak. "I've just.. never had someone interested in me that way before."

"Just when I think Etherians in general cannot be utter imbeciles, I am time and again proven wrong," Hordak said. He could see Entrapta's confidence wavering slightly, so he took a deep breath and slid into the theatrical. "You are beautiful, intelligent, fearless, and enthusiastic. What person in their right mind wouldn't want you?"

Entrapta let out a watery giggle that set Hordak's mind and heart more at ease.

"Thank you," Entrapta said, "and just so you know, it goes both ways. I've heard it said that the brain is the most important organ when it comes to sex, and I already know yours is _massive_." She capped her statement off with a wink. "That's not to say I don't find what I can see of your physical form attractive, too. I most certainly do!"

Hordak winced, the blush that had risen in the wake of Entrapta's earlier statement draining away as cold reality washed over him. If they truly were going to pursue this branch of their partnership, he had to at least warn her. "My.. condition manifests physically, as well. What you cannot see is.. flawed." He wanted to say "repulsive", but he knew the moment Entrapta heard that word, she would contradict him, despite the fact she had no idea what she was talking about. He was growing to accept she was his most staunch defender, even against his own observations.

"You think I don't have physical flaws?" Entrapta countered. "Trust me, between the scars and burns I have accumulated from my experiments and the stretch marks, I'm far from perfect."

"Stretch marks?" Hordak asked. "I have never heard that term before."

Entrapta blushed. "It happens when the skin's elasticity cannot withstand the pressure from rapid dimensional changes," she said. "My buttocks, hips, and chest changed shape drastically when I went through puberty, and I've always had this pooch here." She rolled her chair backward far enough for Hordak to see her abdomen, then grasped her belly through the material of her clothing. "It leaves scarring. Not horrible, but noticeable."

Hordak wanted to downplay what Entrapta was saying. It couldn't possibly be as bad as his own, and even if it were... That was it! "Such does not matter to me," he said, honestly. "Your curvature is quite aesthetically pleasing, as is the color of your skin and eyes. And scarring is to be expected with the number of explosions you withstand on a regular basis."

Entrapta blushed even deeper as she brought her chair close to the computer console again. "And you think I couldn't possibly feel the same way?" she asked. "I know your condition has multiple physical components, but they are part of _you_ , Hordak. And I like you. I mean, _really_ like you, just the way you are."

Hordak sat back in his chair, stunned. On a most basic level, he had known that from the beginning, but hearing it directly from Entrapta herself in no uncertain terms shook him to the very core.

"Besides, you are aware that at least some part of you is attractive," Entrapta continued. "Mr. Wears Clothing With Thigh-High Slits In Both Sides."

Heat immediately flooded Hordak's cheeks and made the tips of his ears burn. "They are one of the few parts of my organic body as yet untouched by my condition," he said.

"Uh-huh," Entrapta drawled. "You don't reveal anything you do not regard as strong, powerful. Your musculature in that area is top-notch. And since the majority of your body is covered by armor, it leaves people to imagine the rest of your physique is the same way. I know at least your bone structure indicates your shoulders are broad; I can feel it's not all armor and padding when I've put my hair there. Your cape conceals any study of your backside, but the condition of your thighs would indicate a similar structure there."

Hordak had absolutely nothing he could say to that. He had never considered his own body in such a way, even though he knew he found himself staring at the generous peach-shaped curves of Entrapta's own backside whenever she bent over to retrieve things.

"I can tell you see my point," Entrapta continued. "I can't imagine I'm the first person to ever have any sexual interest in you."

Entrapta deserved the truth. "I have been lusted after before, but only as something forbidden. Unobtainable," Hordak told her, averting his gaze in embarrassment, remembering those times. "They simply wanted to 'experience' one of my kind. They had no interest in anything beyond the physical." He knew in many cultures, they would shame him for the next simple truth, but he wanted to be completely open with Entrapta about his past history. "I rebuffed them, even to the point of being forced to restrain and throw a couple of them out of where I was staying. I have never felt carnal desire or sexual interest in another being, until now." He forced himself to look at Entrapta once more, his focus on that sweet spot between her eyebrows. "Until you, Entrapta of Dryl."

Entrapta's eyes were shining. "I'm so sorry that happened to you," she said, sincerity coloring her tone. "If anyone ever tries it again, let me know and I will help you toss them in the nearest body of water to cool off!"

An evil chuckle escaped Hordak's lips. "I believe you would," he replied, a hint of wonder shining through.

"Of course I would!" Entrapta replied, determination in every line of her face and form. "No means no, and I'm more than happy to be your enforcer." Entrapta's hair separated into a multitude of tendrils that waved menacingly in the air as she gave him her own evil smile. "Believe me, there wouldn't be any repeat attempts to make you uncomfortable."

Hordak found the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Thank you."

Entrapta softened her smile into one laced with affection and her hair gracefully drifted back into its default position of plain pigtails. "We're partners, in the lab and otherwise," she said. "You protect me, and I protect you. That's the way this works."

Hordak's programming proclaimed he should revile even the implication he needed protection, but the simple truth was, he did. And the thought of Entrapta at his back, ensuring both his survival and comfort was a lure he refused to completely ignore. "You are right. That is the way a partnership is supposed to work."

Entrapta's smile turned into a playful grin. "You should know by now, I'm always right! Well, okay, I'm right 95.78% of the time, but that's close enough." Then she sobered a little. "Seriously, though, those rules apply to me, too. If I ever do anything that makes you truly uncomfortable or if I go too far, just let me know. Don't think you have to subject yourself to anything you know won't feel good, even if I ask nicely."

Hordak shook his head, unable to think of a single instance that statement would apply where Entrapta was concerned. "I will inform you if such a situation occurs," he said. "However, I have.. enjoyed.. your experiments in tactile desensitization. I am more than happy to continue assisting you, in any capacity."

"I thought that might be the case," Entrapta said, her eyes sparkling with amusement now. "I mean, you've admitted Imp is the same species as you, and he loves to be doted on. It only makes sense there would be some residual instinct left in the adult version, even if it has been conditioned out of you to a fairly radical degree."

Hordak looked down in his lap, where he had long since resumed stroking Imp's back as the little being slept on. "Perhaps there is some truth to that," Hordak admitted.

There was a heartbeat of silence before Entrapta spoke again. "On a completely different topic, thank you, by the way, for not hacking into my private chats earlier."

"I of all people understand when privacy is needed," Hordak replied, then continued, "In all honesty, I was tempted."

Entrapta chuckled. "You wouldn't be a proper scientist if you weren't."

"My only concern is that the archer was not nearly as rude to you as.. WrenchedHeart, I think their name was?" Hordak said.

"Oh, Bow wasn't rude at all," Entrapta reassured him. "He's actually trying to understand me."

Hordak quickly schooled his face, but apparently not swiftly enough.

"Hordak," Entrapta said, giving him a look that she had only a couple of times before, the heat in her gaze intense enough to sear his very soul, "you don't have to _try_ and understand me. You just do. You always have."

"It is simple observation," Hordak replied. "Any fool with half a brain could do it."

"And yet, no one else ever has," Entrapta countered. "Not my robo-parents, not the castle staff, not the Rebellion, not even the Etheria Makers' Community. Catra and Scorpia have come close, Scorpia even more so than Catra lately, but you? Underneath all that bluster, you _listen_ to me. Really listen, and not only to my theories. I don't think you realize how much that means to me."

"Others simply lack comprehension," Hordak replied. "Your mind is on a far superior level to anyone else on this planet. I myself find it.. encouraging. A relief, not to be forced to translate my ideas to a more plebeian level. It is rather like being able to speak a language that no one else in this dimension has the ability to comprehend."

Entrapta brightened. "Like a secret code, even if it's not a code at all!" she exclaimed.

"Precisely," Hordak told her, a warm smile creeping across his face without his conscious input.

They both sat there, staring at each other, simply basking in each others' video presence, until the moment was broken by a massive yawn on Entrapta's part.

"I think that's the signal we've both been up long enough. Time to hit the hay, as they say!" Entrapta said, then paused, as if considering something.

Hordak did his best to give her an encouraging look, wondering what revolutionary idea she was pondering.

Entrapta's coloring deepened and she looked almost a bit shy, an expression Hordak wasn't familiar with crossing her features, and her shoulders hunching slightly. He was about to prompt her, encourage her, but she seemed to find a burst of courage. She sat up straight, then leaned in closer to the console. She put her gloved index and middle fingers up to her lips, kissing the tips before touching them to the screen and leaving them there.

Hordak's cheeks and ears burned, his hearts tripping rhythmically in his chest. He wanted to feel foolish, but he didn't. Now he realized why some beings called affection "mushy", since that was how he felt inside. As if all his vital organs had been turned into a warm, gooey mess. Her shyness was contagious, but he refused to leave her without a response. Her bravery deserved to be rewarded.

Hordak pressed his own index and middle fingers to his pursed lips, then reached out to touch them to the screen, exactly where the pads of Entrapta's own gloved digits still lingered.

The fire in Entrapta's eyes was now banked, but still radiated comforting warmth. "Sweet dreams, Hordak," she said, her tone low and rich with promises.

"Sweet dreams, Entrapta," Hordak replied.

A moment later, the connection dropped, and Hordak confirmed Entrapta had turned her computer off by her video connection dropping and the words "TrapsRUs has left the chat" appearing in the main chat room. Hordak prepared to withdraw his hand from the screen, then froze in absolute horror.

He had forgotten his forearms weren't covered! Entrapta would have been able to plainly see the complete lack of muscle and obvious gap between his radius and ulna. Yet she hadn't said a word. There had been no trace of revulsion, the affection in her eyes wavering not one iota.

That was when Hordak also realized Imp had woken up sometime during his and Entrapta's farewells. One glowing yellow eye was open, giving him an approving look.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Hordak asked.

Imp chirped happily, closing his eyes again.

Hordak took one last glance at the chat, frowning as he realized no one had even remarked upon Entrapta's silence, then absence. He scrolled up even further. No one had paid her any attention since she traced his connection.

Fools. They had no idea of the treasure in their midst, how much more technologically advanced the entire planet could be if only they listened to Entrapta.

Their lack of care made Hordak more determined than ever to ensure that for as long as he lived, Entrapta would never want for anything, whether it be materials, conversation, information, partnership, companionship... Hordak paused in his thoughts, making sure to power down his computer before completing the list.

Affection, in any and all of its forms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, thank you all once again for the amazing reception Chapter 1 got! I am always amazed at the incredible support. And a big "Thank you!" to all who have read up to this point, with a few extra ones for those who have left comments and kudos. Y'all know how to make a gal feel special! :)
> 
> If you don't have any interest in future updates and fics of mine, go ahead and scroll or backbutton now.
> 
> For those of you who are, there has been quite a shakeup in the story sequence for "Behind the Curtain". The original Part 4 thus far has shaped up to be not shippy enough for this series, so it will be joining another long fic in progress in a separate, worldbuilding gen-fic series (Horde-focused, of course). The current Part 4 _looks_ like it will actually be a one-shot so far, so if it stays that way, there shouldn't be too much of a delay between postings. 
> 
> Part 5 has also been started, but it might be about 7 chapters long (with two chapters in rough draft so far). Then given my notes for Part 6, it will be a doozy. Or it could surprise me. So I'm definitely still working away on lots of stories in this fandom to hopefully share with everyone, and will continue to do so no matter what S5 brings!


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